Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Female Shooter Is A Rarity in Wisconsin School Shooting
The New York Times: 15-Year-Old Girl Identified as the Shooter in a Wisconsin School
The shooter who killed at least two people on Monday at a Christian school in Madison, Wis., was identified as Natalie Rupnow, a 15-year-old student who later died from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the police said. The shooter, who went by “Samantha,” opened fire in a study hall classroom with students from several grades at Abundant Life Christian School, said Shon F. Barnes, the Madison police chief. A teacher and a teenage student were killed, and five students and another teacher were injured, the authorities said. (Karlamangla and Taft, 12/16)
CBS News: After Shooting At Christian School In Madison, Wisconsin, Here's What We Know So Far
A law enforcement source said the weapon used in the shooting appears to have been a 9mm pistol. Authorities could not say how the shooter obtained a gun. (Chasen, 12/16)
Newsweek: Are Female Mass Shooters On The Rise? What Data Shows
An overwhelming majority of assailants in major mass shootings are male, with only a handful of female shooters having ever been identified, making Monday's gunfire an anomaly. Crime data shows little evidence to support the notion there has been a spike in mass shootings committed by women or girls in recent years, although there may have been an increase over the decades. (Slisco, 12/16)
Axios: Gen Z Teachers Lead School Shooter Drills Amid Rising Gunfire
This year was the most active for gunfire on school grounds since 2013, when Everytown for Gun Safety started tracking data. As the threat of gun violence has persistently grown, students often learn to prepare for an active shooter from teachers who had the same hide, fight and run mentality drilled into them as children. (Lotz, 12/17)
UnitedHealthcare shooting updates —
The Wall Street Journal: Luigi Mangione’s Best Defense In Case Over UnitedHealth Shooting In New York Might Be To Try Reducing Punishment
Accused killer Luigi Mangione's potential arguments could revolve around attributing his actions to his mental state at the time of the killing. Two defenses in New York state—a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity and claiming extreme emotional disturbance—might be relevant. Former Manhattan prosecutor Karen Friedman Agnifilo, hired last week to defend Mangione on the murder charge, previously speculated that such a plea could be a possibility. (Ramey and Fanelli, 12/16)
The Washington Post: Deny And Delay: The Practices Fueling Anger At U.S. Health Insurers
Most frustrating, according to patient advocates, is that insurance companies often act without explanation, sending denial letters that offer only sparse justifications. The patient “gets a cryptic message saying ‘it’s not medically necessary,’ but without any other explanation,” said Elisabeth Benjamin, a vice president at the Community Service Society in New York, which runs a program that helps consumers appeal denials. “People are mad because it’s all a big secret,” Benjamin said. “It’s unfair for us as a society, on something that’s so visceral, to trust giant corporations that make money when they deny care. This is why people are so, so very angry.” (Whoriskey, 12/16)
In related news —
The Washington Post: Start-Up Putting Ammo Vending Machines In Grocery Stores Plans To Grow
Dallas-based start-up American Rounds rolled its first automated retail ammo machine into a Fresh Value grocery store in Pell City, Alabama, late in 2023, selling various brands of rifle, shotgun and handgun ammo. The company advertises its machines as a safer and more convenient way to buy ammo than at a large retail store or online. But public health experts have questioned whether the company’s suicide prevention efforts are sufficient, and elected officials in areas where machines were set up have worried that the easy availability of ammunition could lead to impulsive purchases by people who seek to do harm. (Barton, 12/15)
